Ode to the Clone Trooper
by Gorvar
Summary: A loveletter to the Clone Troopers of the Republic. Semi-sequel to my 'Avatar of the Dark Side story.'


The clone trooper opened his eyes as he regained consciousness. The initial dizziness was shrugged off as the years of training kicked in. He got up and took his blaster rifle from the remains of the gun rack. He glanced quickly on the ground to see if any of his brothers survived...none did.

He kicked the door open and stepped outside the burning gunship...only to end up in a larger chaos. He was in a dessert, the sun had no mercy as it send it's beams toward the planet.

He saw his other brothers take cover from a unrelenting assault by CIS forces, a mix of battle droids and diverse alien species.

The clone noticed he stood In a puddle, as he glanced down he saw it was a black substance...he ran. As he ran, training once again took over. He glanced left and right, trusted the readings he had on his monitor.

A explosion sounded behind him...the gunship was gone, along with the remains of his brothers. He had been with them for years. They were born on the same day, trained together, grew up together...but they were gone now, he would mourn them later.

He threw himself behind the sandy hill as the Arc Trooper shouted commands.

'Fiver' was his name, if the trooper recalled correctly, ARC 275.

'You, trooper!' he pointed to the clone.' Where are the rest of your men?'

'Dead sir.' The trooper replied.

'Damn...' Fiver growled.' Right, we'll have to do with what we can. You men follow me, we'll secure this landing site even if it's the death of us!'

The troopers loaded their weapons in unison as they followed the blue garbed Arc Trooper into battle. Explosions shook the ground as dozens of fighters flew overhead. The mechanical soldiers opened fire at the clones with deadly aim.

More brothers died.

The trooper hid behind another hill as Fiver provided covering fire.

'Thermal detonators, throw them over the hill on my mark!' The Arc shouted.

The trooper along with the three remaining clones fetched the thermal detonators from their belt.

'Mark!'

The clones pressed the red button and threw it over the hill. Four blasts hook the ground more as the Arc took cover.

Clouds of sand began kicking up as the chaos intensified.

'We're nearly there, troopers!' Fiver shouted.' Show these Seps why they shouldn't mess with the best the Galactic Republic has to offer!'

'OORAH!' the trooper said with the others.

'For the Republic!'

The trooper once more went into the charge and fired at everything that registered as hostile on his HUD. His mind was in a state of perfect focus. Pick a target, empty your magazine, grab your magazine when the clip is nearly dry, eject, slam the magazine in and keep firing.

'Vulture droid, get down!'

The trooper glanced up...and flew away as the vulture's blasters fired on the group; The impact threw the trooper into the hill.

The dizziness took hold again. He felt a pain in his arm...as he glanced to his right he saw a big gap covered in blood.

He tried hard to stop seeing his life flash in front of him.

His first memory was of a tube, a large lanky gray skinned being with a long neck and a white robe peered at him. He, or she, nodded with satisfaction and moved on to the next tube.

The figure shook his head and said something in a inaudible voice. The baby in that tube soon disappeared as the blue liquid turned green.

Even when he was born, he had to fight to survive.

His next memory was in bootcamp, he was...three perhaps? The large man told them about team work, how to look out for their brothers, how to stay alive on a battlefield. He told them if they had to die, take as many enemies of the Republic with you. The trooper remembered that lesson well.

The next memory was Geonosis, a planet with a similar atmosphere like this dustball.

This was the first battle the Clones were send in...and it was a success. The trooper remembered as he marched alongside his brothers on the dusty plains towards the Arena where they saved the jedi there ten minutes earlier.

They sang the chant they were taught by their trainers, the 'Vode An' (Brother's All in Basic). They sung of how they were the sword of the Republic, the wrath of Coruscant, how glory would await them as they marched into battle as brothers. Brothers all...

He came back to as a pig snouted soldier came up to him with it's ax. The creature, a Gamorrean he recalled, smirked as it raised his ax. The trooper took his blaster on his side and shot the creature in the head. It give a high squeal before it fell down on the sand, dead.

The trooper got back to his feet and held his blaster close. He lost his rifle, and was no doubt without any back up.

He heard clattering above him. A he looked up his mind went back to Geonosis, for he saw it's natives that came to this planet to haunt him no doubt.

He fired at the Geos, as they were dubbed by the clones, but was once more flown back at their sonic weapons threw him against the floor. The natives landed as they, like their pig looking friend, neared him.

This time no quick reaction would save him...he took his last detonator and was prepared to take them all with him. For the Republic, he learned his lesson well.

His finger went to the red button...but found itself stopped as blaster fire killed nearly all the Separatist foes.

The trooper blinked as he glanced to his right...and saw a Jedi run by with her green lightsaber. She was a Twi'lek, blue skinned, followed by Fiver.

'On your feet trooper!' Fiver threw a spare blaster rifle over.' We're not done yet!'

The trooper caught the blaster rifle and followed into the charge.

A hour later the trooper's wounds were treated by the Jedi, who used her powers to clean the wound.

'You'll be fine.' She smiled weakly. She was barely a adult, yet she was a Jedi Knight, these were troubling times.

'Thank you General.' The trooper said. He had his helmet off as did many of the other troopers.

They were all the same faces, the same men, the same genetic copy of Jango Fett, the galaxy's best Bounty Hunter.

They were the same man, but they were also brothers. Family. You looked after each other, and avenged them if you could not help them. Brothers all.

'Admiral Onasi.' The trooper said.' This is Arc Trooper 275, the landing site is secure.'

'Copy that Arc 275, we're sending in reinforcements right now.' The admiral said over the com.

She refused to call the Arc by his nickname, the previous Arc Trooper was also called 'Fiver'. The non-clones gossiped the admiral and him had a relationship, that the child back in Coruscant by her was his. The trooper did not listen to the gossip, as did most of the other clones. They were brothers all, family.

The Arc went to the Jedi General.

'General Sareesa, reinforcements are heading this way, but the Seps will be here by then.'

'I will stay here with half the men and bring Master Skywalker and his padawan Tano to speed, hold your position at the defensive point until they come to release you.'

Barely a adult and she was willing to send people to their deaths, such is war.

'Understood General, trooper, you ready?'

The trooper nodded and got up to his feet as he slipped his helmet back on.' Ready and rearing sir.'

The work of a warrior of the Republic was never done, but by the end of this day, this planet would know that there was a prize to pay if you betrayed the Republic.

They were the glorious warriors of old, they were the wrath of Coruscant, they were the Clone Troopers.

Vode an, Brothers all.


End file.
